Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Union member nations are scheduled to hold a vote on Wednesday, April 9, about countermeasures to the United States’ tariffs on steel and aluminum, a high-ranking EU official said.
As reported, the proposal from the European Commission will be endorsed provided it does not face opposition from a qualified majority. This majority is defined as 15 member states that collectively represent 65% of the EU’s population. The decision to pass the proposal will be based solely on this voting process.
This decision comes in response to the tariffs imposed by the United States. It has been a point of contention between the two economic powers. On Wednesday, Trump initiated a significant global trade war by imposing extensive tariffs on numerous countries, including Nicaragua and Cambodia. These tariffs are in addition to previously established taxes on imports like steel, aluminum, and automobiles.
What broader countermeasures is the EU preparing against the us?
Last month, the European Union revealed that it would impose counter tariffs on 26 billion euros worth of U.S. goods from next month. It would ramp up a global trade war in response to blanket U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium.
The EU executive stated that it is still willing to negotiate, asserting that higher tariffs benefit no one. U.S. President Donald Trump’s raised tariffs of 25% on all steel and aluminum imports came into effect on Wednesday when previous exemptions, duty-free quotas, and product exclusions ended.
The European Commission announced that it will lift its temporary suspension of tariffs on U.S. goods starting April 1, with all tariffs fully reinstated by that date 13.
“The countermeasures we take today are strong but proportionate. As the United States is applying tariffs worth $28 billion, we are responding with countermeasures worth 26 billion euros,”
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told reporters.
“The EU must act to protect its consumers and businesses.”
The suspended tariffs affect a variety of products, including boats, bourbon, and motorbikes. The EU announced it will begin a two-week consultation to select additional product categories.
